This is the response (for the most part) that I gave him and he appreciated. He called it a “reality check” which I think we all need to realize:
Dear Client,
Frankly, the SEO market has become a very “interesting landscape” to say the least since Feb/March of this year (2012).SEO requires either more effort, money or time than most people have these days. The larger players and brands are going to do much better because they have all 3. The smaller guys in the business still can do a bit of damage, but it will take a very concerted effort that will require one, if not 3 of the things that you need to succeed.Also, the google update(Penguin) has also created a lot of problems for many businesses which are having an impossible time fixing their situations if they did any link building that google felt was improper. So, their situations are quite complex and require much more of the 3 aforementioned, but very few are willing to increase any of the 3 to alleviate their respective situations.Many people usually lose patience trying to do all 3 and end up simply finding other marketing channels.
The real estate market is tough – very tough to be frank. And it’s going to be somewhat difficult to find someone who’s good enough who will dedicate what it takes to get you to the top 3 positions without the budget or the other 2 things: time and effort. I’m happy to help anyone to any degree, but again, most people usually end up lacking one of the 3 and as a result, it just becomes a somewhat wasted or inefficient effort.
Anyone who charges less is usually going to give you limited time, effort or put in the resources to get you the things you want that make a difference – the inbound links in particular. The keyword research isn’t too hard to do and can be done relatively easily. But the biggest impact will be in the inbound links and if you can, exercising as much as you can on the social media front as well.
We’ve gained new top spots for key phrases like “most searched on google” (#2) and “top google searches” (#6) or even “what is the most searched thing on google” (#1). These have bolstered our traffic to as high as 1285 visits in a single day in the first week of December. They are mostly due to our great post which was a 3+ year project analyzing the top phrases being searched on google. It definitely wasn’t an overnight project.
Predictive analytics in link building is revolutionizing the way businesses approach their SEO strategies. By leveraging data-driven insights, companies can now anticipate which links will yield the highest value and ROI, rather than relying solely on traditional trial-and-error methods. This forward-thinking approach not only saves time and resources but also ensures that every link-building effort is targeted and efficient, addressing the complexities brought on by updates like Penguin.
Utilizing predictive analytics allows businesses to focus on high-impact link building opportunities, ensuring that each link supports their SEO goals and enhances their online presence. In a competitive market like real estate, where getting to the top 3 positions on Google can make a significant difference, this strategic use of data can provide a crucial edge. By combining predictive analytics with robust link-building techniques and active social media engagement, companies can achieve sustainable growth and avoid the pitfalls of outdated SEO practices.
Creativity goes a long way if you are short on money, but are willing to put in the time and effort.
It seems like the constants in SEO are great content that is updated frequently and organic inbound links that look natural, not manufactured. Both take a lot of market research to fulfill.
I guess in a nutshell, content is king and get inbound links with no preservatives.